Plastic section dish cloth



Nov. 3, 1959 H. K. coRRlNGToN ETAL 2,910,710

PLASTIC SECTION DISH CLOTH Filed July 5, 1956 HEL EN f1. a/w/Nrm/ LO/S E STO/VEMAN INVENTORS rrawsy United States Patent O PLASTIC SECTION DISH CLOTH Helen K. Corrington, Long Beach, and Lois R. Stoneman, San Marino, Calif.

Application July 5, 1956, Serial No. 596,009

6 Claims. (Cl. 15--118) t This invention relates generally to cleaning implements for washing and scouring culinary articles, and more particularly has to do with an improved cleaning device essentially comprising a water absorbent dish cloth incorporating in a localized area a plastic material pad of a shape and size adequate for scouring purposes.

In general, while the plastic portion of the device may have various forms, it is primarily necessary that the design be raised at a number of points to present exposed edges for scraping application to kitchen equipment. Thus plastic bers may be interwoven in pad form to be connected to the dish cloth, or the fibers may be woven directly into the cloth strands so as to outwardly present or expose multiple raised plastic edges. By confining the pad or plastic fibers to one specific area of the cleaning device, the remainder of the cloth is free for manipulation in washing dishes and utensils, and wiping sink, stove and refrigerator, while the plastic is always at hand for immediate use, and its relatively flexible and soft quality prevents injury to the hands or to the finest china, enamel and stainless steel.

Upon considering the related use of dish cloths and ordinaryrscouring pads, it is apparent that certain advantages will result from their ,combination in one device. `Invthe past, attempts have been made to interconnect metal chains, rings, coils and other metallic shapes with dish cloths for this purpose. However, serious disadvantages are connected with or result from combining metallic scouring means with dish cloths including the 'tendency of the relatively hard metallic means to scratch or mar surfaces of iine china, stainless steel and enamel Ware during washing, especially where the metal is attached either to the `entire cloth or to its central portions or areas receiving the greatest use in washing. Furthermore, the ordinarily relatively sharp edges of the metal become gradually more sharpened in scraping against the metal of pots and pans, so that when the cloth is wrunk out at random, the users hands are in danger of being cut or otherwise injured.

To overcome the numerous disadvantages connected with attaching metallic scouring devices to dish cloths, we incorporate in a dish cloth a plastic material having such form, pliability and confined location on the cloth in relation to the remainder of the cloth as to enable random manipulation of the dish cloth in washing culinary articles without linterference by the plastic, and conversely to accommodate selective use of the plastic material alone, for scouring. In addition, the pliable quality or nature of the plastic material used is such that the dish cloth may be forcefully wrung to semi-dry condition without any injury or discomfort to the hands. Since the plastic is by its very nature a tough durable material, it remains longwearing without deterioration over the useful life of the cloth as against the tendency of metallic scouring devices 'to rust and fray or cut the cloth to which they are attached.

The specific design of the plastic material in pad form or plastic iibers woven into the cloth, together with their location in relation to the remainder of the cloth are of great importance inasmuch as the utility of the dish cloth is alfected thereby, these details being brought out in the discussion to follow, together with other features and objects of the invention as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, which will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a face or plan view of the dish cloth showing the plastic scouring pad connected to opposite sides of the cloth; i

Fig. 2 is a face view of a corner portion of the dish cloth with the plastic in circular form and sewed into position to give circular scouring surfaces on both sides;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a corner portion of the dish cloth showing a triangular plastic pad connected with one side of the cloth inwardly from the edge thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary portion of the dish cloth showing plastic bers interwoven with the loose weave of the cloth, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the interwoven structure of the plastic bers forming a portion of a plastic pad.

In Fig. 1 the dish cloth designated at 1.0 is shown to have a generally rectangular outline with a relatively loose weave or knit, including interconnected horizontal and vertical strands 11 of appropriately water absorbent material such as cotton yarn or the like. The interconnected strands form openings 12 through 'the cloth, and certain of the openings in checker board relation to one another contain double strands 13 of absorbent yarn connected between horizontal strands 11. The structure of the cloth has been described in detail merely for purposes of illustration and further in partial explanation of the interwoven relationship between the cloth and plastic fibers shown in Fig. 4.

Plastic material 14 in the form of a pad as shown connected with opposite sides of the cloth 10 in Fig. ll, the plastic being folded over the corner edge 15, with border stitching 16 connecting the plastic to the cloth.

As shown in Figs. l and 5, the plastic material is preferably though not necessarily comprised of closely interwoven, relatively narrow plastic strips or fibers 17 and 18, the former running over and under the latter to provide a large number of raised exposed edges 19 for scraping engagement with culinary articles during scouring. rI'he plastic material may also be Woven in a chain stitch design. In order that the cloth may be wrung at random during its use without causing discomfort or injury to the users hands, the interwoven plastic fibers are sufticiently narrow to give the plastic pad a pliable quality. Furthermore, since the pad has relatively confined extent in relation to the overall size ofthe clothand forms merely a corner portion or any small area of the device, the remainder of the cloth is free for random manipulation during washing of culinary articles without interference by the plastic material, and also may be wrung more or less at random to semi-dry condition without inten ference by the plastic.

ln Fig. 2 a round plastic pad 20 is shown occupying or overlying a round opening 21 formed in the corner of the cloth, so that opposite sides of the single round pad are exposed at two sides of the cloth. Suitable stitching 16 again connects the pad with the cloth around its circular periphery.

Triangular pad 22 is connected with one side only of the cloth in Fig. 3 and in spaced relation to its edges 15 while remaining located generally at a corner of the implement. The perpendicular sides 23 of the triangular pad extend parallel with the perpendicular edges of the cloth so that the hypotenuse of the triangle faces the re- Patented Nov. 3, 1959,

tion without interference with the plastic. While the weave of the plastic fibers in the pads shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is the same as the weave in Fig. 5, it will be understood that various types of weaves or thread irregularitiesv in the plastic are contemplated, it being only necessary that the plastic material present a plurality of exposed' edges for scouring engagement with culinary articles and that the plastic be suficiently pliable for random wringing without hand injury. Since the plastic fibers 17 extend generally horizontally in Figs. 1 through 3, the pad should be moved vertically in scouring to cause the' edges of the fiber to scrape the articles being scoured.

In' Fig. 4 the plastic bers are interwoven with the loose weave of the cloth, ber 17 running over and under vertical cloth strands ift, the latter thereby holding the plastic fibers in position on the cloth. Since cloth strands are relatively loosely interv/oven, weaving of the plasticl fibers 17 into position at a corner portion of the cloth may be readily accomplished, with the remaining plastic iibersfiS being insertable for holding theA fibers i7' in relative closely interwoven relation toy form a plastic pad interconnected with the cloth.

l We claim:

1. An improved washing and scouring implement, comprising a -water absorbent dish cloth sized for manipulation in washing culinary articles, a large number of closely interwoven narrow plastic bers in the form of a pad extending in a layer and connected with a side o1' the cloth to form a corner portion of the implement and having, greatly reduced and coniined areal extent in relation to said cloth size to leave most ofthe cloth free for manipulation without interference by the plastic, said pad being presentable at' opposite sides of the cloth and said interwoven iibers' presenting a plurality of side-byside exposed raised edges for scouring engagement with said articles and being sufficiently pliableV for wringing of the cloth and plastic without hand injury.

2'. The invention as defined in claim 1, including stitching connecting the bers to the cloth.

3'. An improved' washing and scouring implement, comprising a water absorbent dish cloth sized for manipulation in Washing culinary articles, a large number of closely interwoven narrow plastic iibers in the form of a pad extending in a layer folded over an edge of the cloth and connected with opposite sides thereof to form a corner portion of the implement and having substantially reduced areal extent in relation to said cloth size to leave the remainder of the cloth free for manipulation without interference by theV plastic, said interwoven fibers presenting a plurality of side-by-side exposed raised edges for scouring engagement with said articles and being Cil 4 sufiiciently pliable for wringing of the cloth and plastic without hand injury.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, including stitching connecting the fibers to the cloth.

5. An improved washing and scouring implement, comprising a substantially rectangular dish cloth having a loose weave for absorbing water and sized for manipulation in washing culinary articles, a large number of relatively closely interwoven narrow plastic iibers extending in a layer and stitched to the cloth Weave to form a corner portion of the implement and having greatly reduced and confined areal extent in the plane of the cloth in relation to cloth size to leave most of the cloth free for manipulation without interference bythe plastic, said iibers being in the form of a pad presentable at opposite sides of the cloth, said interwoven fibers prescnting a plurality of side-by-side exposed raised edges extending in the direction of the fibers for scouring engagement with said articles as the cloth is moved substantially normal to said edges and being suiiiciently pliabley for wringing of. the cloth and plastic without hand injury'.

6. An improved washing and scouring implement, comprising a substantially rectangular dish cloth having a loose weave for absorbing water and sized for manipulaf tion in washing culinary articles, a large number of relatively eiosely interwoven narrow plastic fibers extending in a layer andy stitched to the cloth` weave to form a cord ner portion of the implement and having substantially reduced areal extent inV the plane of the cloth in relation to cloth size to leave the remainder of the cloth free for manipulation without interference by the plastic, said bers being in the iorm oi a pad folded over an edgel of the cloth and stitched to opposite sides thereof, said interwoven fibers presenting a plurality of side-by-side exposed raised edges extending in the direction. of the fibers for scouring engagement with said. articles as the cloth is moved substantially normal to said edges and being sufreiently pliable for wringing of the cloth and plastic without hand injury.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,087,875- Judd July 20, 1.937 2,179,614 Cohen Nov. 14, 1939 2,275,546 Motto Mar. 10, 1942 2,354,435 Stedmany July 25, 1944 2,367,774 Herbrick Jan. 23, 1945 2,601,771 Cameron July l, 1952 2,682,678 Kingman July 6, 1954 2,778,044 Mikulski Jan. 22, 1957 2,812,782 Stevens Nov. 12, 1957 2,875,461 Anderson Mar. 3, 1.959 

